Messages - Morgbug

I'm frankly ok with them killing Glenn. Hey, I thought it absolutely ridiculous he hid under a dumpster and lived so it's overdue.

Thoroughly depressing episode, no question. Having not read any of the comics and not being much into social media, I'm still largely in the dark. So thank you all for keeping the thread relatively spoiler free, it is very much appreciated.

Congrats to the Wild, still ugly but effective hockey. Should have been far, far more lopsided. Sadly I fear we will again draft in the 5-10 range so maybe win another lottery pick. Knew we'd be bad as we're so young, but our vets hurt us today.

Two solid games by Morrissey to help offset Trouba's antics, but we're woeful in the D department for what's in the pipeline. Morrissey and Trouba should have had us set for years based on their respective ages but now we're half of that and there's no guarantee Morrissey will be a true #1 LHD. Same could be said for Trouba I suppose though clearly he feels differently. Did I call him a douche?

Had to chuckle at Patrik Laine's response to the question posed to him before the first Jets game: Following Matthews four point night Laine was asked if he needed to score five? His response: No, just two points for the win would be fine.

Battle in Minnesota tonight. After our coach seemingly had his brain cap screwed on tight and put Thorburn and Stuart in the press box for the home opener, he's bringing them out to play in Minnesota tonight. I predict the Wild win 5-2.

Central Division dogfight again this year. So many good teams, so many teams on the up and coming... and then my squad still trying to figure out which they are and hoping they are not the one falling to earth to make room for the "young and hungry" Jets or "glad to be rid of Roy" Avs.

Don't think you have to worry about us just yet. Way too many rookies on the team, two young goalies (though definite improvement over Pavelec even with growing pains). Nice that management finally figured out Pavelec isn't it, just a couple years after everyone else in the league.

But so, so young. Laine - rookie - will have growing pains for sure.Connor - impressed in preseason more than Laine but a whopping 19 years old. Dylan Larkin 2.0?Morrissey - about time really, two years in the A, hoping that seasoning makes him like another guy with his size and time horizon, plays for Chicago, name like Keith. Ehlers - sophomore season but should be ok

Defense will be sketchy. Buff entertains me so but that contract worries me. Enstrom is old. Trouba is a douche. Yikes.

I don't think that Tampa can keep them all. I kind of wonder if Stamkos isn't a little ticked at what Hedman got? That must make him in the top five D salaries. indeed.

Like Stalock, good pickup. Not so sure about Staal. I'll go back to my point about the Wild being a little up there in years. Which Stewart? Hopefully you somehow grabbed ours, he's awful (I know not our guy).

Edmonton got Lucic for same money as Hall was making and longer term. Not sure how old he is but not sure he's going to be worth that money in eight years. I think in some respects swapping out Hall for Lucic should make them a better team but they remain what they've been for the last five years - weak defensively. Guess we'll wait and see if Eberle/RNH can do anything to shore up that back end.

Canadian dollar will be fine once prime minister selfie legalizes pot. We'll all be stoned beyond belief but the tax revenue should be grand. I'll feel bad for all the dimwits that try to cross the border with it in hand though. Gonna suck being arrested at the border for possession.

Edmonton got hosed. That's just a bizarre deal. I suppose Larsson could top out higher but he's been in the league for a while and I don't think of Edmonton as a place where young talent blossoms. It goes there to fester is more like it. Giving up Hall makes sense if they are signing Lucic but I think the return for what is arguably a top 5 if not top 3 LW in the league (and young) should have been a much better defender. I also really wonder how Edmonton is going to manage the cap. Yeah, moving Hall out frees up six million but you have to think Lucic gets at least that and Larsson is signed for four more years at $4+. I know they suggest they're moving Eberle and RNH but I don't think there are many teams in a flat cap era that want Eberle at all. He'd be the second highest paid Jet and likely slot on our third line with everyone healthy. He's more like a $4 million kind of guy. RNH is better value and I could see teams take him on even at $6 but I think any return the Oilers would get would be less. Then they have Draisaitl, arguably their #2 center going forward, coming off his ELC next year and McDavid the year after. McDavid is going to get Stamkos/Crosby/Toews money and suddenly Edmonton is stuck in cap hell. They should have got something like Subban for Hall.

Speaking of Subban, that was a weird ass trade. Certainly if only due to age Nashville got the far better player. There are a lot of rumblings out of Montreal though about Subban's behavior in the locker room. Who knows what is or isn't true and we'll see in time in Nashville if those play out similarly. He certainly puts on a fabulous outward display of behavior given his charitable donations, etc. Nashville definitely got much better. Stoopid Central division.

The Stamkos deal makes me smile. Not sure if anyone else ever ventures over to the Hockey Futures board but the Toronto contingent is massive and utterly delusional. Seeing Stamkos stay in Tampa is such a slap in the face to the Leafs who seemed so certain to sign him. On the plus side for the Leafs I really believe that's the best possible thing to happen to them. Otherwise they'd have tried to short-cut their rebuild which wouldn't be smart given how methodically they tore the team down. A little more patience and then some smart moves building in character veterans who can play (not Jets-style character veterans who can't play - Stuart/Thorburn) and their future is bright. They have some excellent prospects though probably not quite as excellent as they'll tell you (not talking Matthews I believe he's a legit future #1 C).

On Tampa though I think they're headed towards Hawk-style cap hell. They simply can't afford to retain all their players under the cap. Way too many good players that will be getting better salaries coming out of their ELCs. Palat, Johnson, Drouin, Bishop, Kucherov. Not all are due this year but in the next year or two a lot of guys are going to be looking to be paid and I think you start to see Chicago-style dumping of excellent players going on. Hedman is due up soon I believe, but a year or two down the road. That's kind of crazy. Some guys are going to have to go and I don't think anyone aside from Stamkos (and probably Hedman) is guaranteed to stay. Bishop will likely end up out, but a couple of skaters too.

We aren't nearly as good as Tampa but we may run into similar issues as well. Scheifele and Trouba up this year and reasonably speaking Scheifele should get Barkov money ($6+) and Trouba's comparables are around $4.5-6. Ehlers, Connor and Laine will all be due in the next three years and if they meet their expectations they won't be any cheaper than Scheifele. Plus Wheeler and Little will be due new contracts around the same time.